Today, many quite sophisticated models exist for the calculation of glass breakage due to air blast loading and subsequent effects on persons within reach of the flying glass shards. Further, experience from accidents shows that the lethality rate from flying glass is rather low. Therefore, one might ask the question why do we need an additional new model and what shall it be used for? Despite the fact that the lethality rate due to flying glass shards is comparatively low, a literature review showed that glass breakage is often the most far-reaching explosion effect and sometimes is responsible for the largest number of injured persons. This is especially true in case of explosions in urban areas due to accidents during the transport of ammunition or due to terrorist attacks like the one at Oklahoma City. In addition, the review showed that most of the existing glass breakage and lethality/injury models need too many input parameters which are usually not at hand. As an example, beside the size of the window also the thickness of the glass panes is often needed as a main calculation parameter. However, how do we know about the thickness of a glass pane in an existing window in a house before the accident happens destroying this window? These are some of the reasons why an easily applicable tool for standard quantitative risk analysis purposes, based on a few easily gatherable parameters, was developed in Switzerland. This paper describes the new generic model for glass breakage and lethality/injury due to flying glass. Further, it is imagined that this tool also will help to develop emergency maps and plans, and support rescue forces when it comes to cordon off endangered areas.

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